He Took His Childhood Friend to the World Cup, Leaving Me With Their Cat Chapter 05

He Took His Childhood Friend to the World Cup, Leaving Me With Their Cat Chapter 05

On the 8th, Barrett flew back.

Chloe looked completely miserable the moment they walked out of the airport.

They climbed into the back seat of the black car waiting for them.

Barrett looked down and texted Sloane: “Oh my way home. Miss you.”

It had been ten days since his last text.

The one where he promised he’d be back by the 9th for their City Hall appointment.

She hadn’t replied.

For ten days away, he and Chloe had been having the time of their lives, and Sloane hadn’t crossed his mind

once.

He was entirely certain that after ten days, Sloane would have calmed down.

Chloe caught a glimpse of the text on his screen.

Anxiety and resentment consumed her.

Every single day of that trip, she had posted dozens of photos of her and Barrett.

Every angle was carefully staged to look like a couple in love.

She had posted them explicitly for Sloane to see.

Every day, she waited for Sloane to explode and call everything off.

But Sloane had remained completely, utterly silent.

Eight years ago, when Barrett first wanted to marry Sloane, Chloe told him it was too early and that marriage would kill his freedom, convincing him to wait.

Four years ago, when Barrett brought it up again.

She begged him to stay single for just a few more years so she could have him around.

She cried and pleaded until Barrett gave in.

This time, she ran out of excuses.

The night before they flew back, Barrett had laid it out perfectly clear.

Sloane was thirty now.

He couldn’t make her wait any longer.

He told Chloe they would always just be what they were now.

And if she couldn’t accept that, they wouldn’t even be friends anymore.

She watched Barrett now, looking so desperate to get that marriage license tomorrow.

Something cold and heavy settled in her chest.

She turned toward the window and rolled it halfway down.

The wind rushed into the car.

Even though her misery was written all over her face, Barrett didn’t notice a thing.

He was glued to his phone.

Halfway through the drive, he finally noticed her silence.

“I’ll talk to Sloane. I’ll make sure you’re a bridesmaid at the wedding.”

He even laughed, trying to joke. “Come on, being a bridesmaid means you’ll be right there with us.”

She curled her lip, a bitter smile creeping onto her face.

They arrived at the apartment complex.

The second the elevator doors opened, a sickening, putrid stench hit them straight from the gap under their

front door.

“What the hell is that smell?”

Chloe choked, gagging as she covered her nose and flapped her hand.

Barrett’s face darkened as he covered his face, a sudden, cold dread seizing his chest.

Six months ago, someone at his firm had been found dead in her apartment after a breakup. The neighbors only noticed when the smell reached the hallway.

Barrett’s heart slammed into his throat, his legs turning to jelly as he sprinted toward the door.

The color completely drained from his face.

Chloe thought of the same possibility.

And a sick, secret hope rose in her chest.

If someone was dead inside, let it be Sloane.

If Sloane was gone, there would finally be no one standing between them.

There would finally be no third person between them.

Barrett would belong entirely to her.

Barrett’s thumb shook violently against the smart lock.

The harder he panicked, the more the scammer misread his print.

Finally, on the third try, the lock clicked open.

Barrett burst inside.

“Sloane! Sloane! Sloane!”

The living room was an absolute disaster zone-the sofa was shredded to pieces, foam stuffing torn out and scattered everywhere.

The decor on the shelves was smashed all over the floor.

It looked like the place had been ransacked by a crew of thieves.

Terrified out of his mind, Barrett tore through the living room and slammed into the bedroom.

Every single corner, every single room was a ruined mess, but there was no sign of Sloane.

Until he threw open the bathroom door and saw the white cat lying stiff on the floor, motionless and crawling with maggots.